Propylene Resin Composition with Inorganic Fillers for Wire Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Polypropylene resin compositions with inorganic fillers exhibit poor flexibility and impact resistance while lacking sufficient scratch resistance, limiting their application in demanding environments such as electric wires and wire harnesses.

Innovation Solution

A propylene resin composition comprising 5-80 wt% of a syndiotactic propylene polymer, 5-85 wt% of a soft propylene copolymer, 0-40 wt% of elastomers, and 15-80 wt% of inorganic fillers, specifically metal hydroxides, carbonates, or oxides, which are melt-kneaded with a graft modified polymer to enhance mechanical strength, flexibility, and scratch resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If polypropylene resin and inorganic filler are used to achieve high heat resistance and mechanical strength, then heat resistance and mechanical strength are improved, but flexibility and impact resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite material system comprising polypropylene resin, inorganic filler (such as metal hydroxides, carbonates, or oxides), and a specific soft propylene copolymer. This composite structure allows the material to simultaneously achieve high mechanical strength from the polypropylene and inorganic filler, while maintaining flexibility through the soft propylene copolymer component, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The soft propylene copolymer is specifically designed with local properties (low glass transition temperature, specific molecular weight range) that provide flexibility and impact resistance in critical areas, while the polypropylene resin and inorganic filler maintain their high strength and heat resistance properties in other areas, achieving overall performance optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If polyethylene resin is used to achieve high flexibility and impact resistance, then flexibility and impact resistance are improved, but scratch resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidscratch resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite material that combines polypropylene resin (providing scratch resistance), inorganic filler (enhancing mechanical strength), and soft propylene copolymer (providing flexibility and impact resistance). This composite approach allows the material to simultaneously achieve scratch resistance from the polypropylene and flexibility from the soft propylene copolymer, resolving the contradiction between scratch resistance and flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes key parameters of the soft propylene copolymer, including glass transition temperature (-50°C to 0°C), molecular weight (10,000 to 500,000), and composition ratio (5-85 wt%), to optimize the balance between flexibility and scratch resistance, achieving a material that outperforms conventional polyethylene resins in both aspects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If conventional propylene polymer composition is used to achieve high scratch resistance, then scratch resistance is improved, but stress absorption properties and bendability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescratch resistanceVSAvoidbendability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The soft propylene copolymer is specifically engineered with local properties (low glass transition temperature, specific molecular weight) that provide stress absorption and bendability in critical areas, while the polypropylene resin maintains its high scratch resistance properties, achieving overall performance optimization that resolves the contradiction between scratch resistance and bendability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves high flexibility, mechanical strength, breaking elongation, heat resistance, low-temperature properties, and improved scratch and abrasion resistance, making it suitable for electric wires and other applications requiring robust performance.

Implementation Method 1

a propylene resin composition comprising 5-80 wt% of a syndiotactic propylene polymer, 5-85 wt% of a soft propylene copolymer, 0-40 wt% of elastomers, and 15-80 wt% of inorganic fillers, which are melt-kneaded with a graft modified polymer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelt-kneading:

Data Source

PatentEP2080784B1Propylene resin composition, method for producing propylene resin composition, propylene polymer composition, molded body made of the propylene resin composition, and electric wire
Publication Date: 2013.03.06 MITSUI CHEMICALS INC
  • EP2080784B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2080784B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2080784B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A propylene resin composition includes 0 to 80 wt% of a propylene polymer (A) having a DSC melting point of not less than 100°C, 5 to 85 wt% of a specific soft propylene copolymer (B), 0 to 40 wt% of one or more elastomers (C) selected from ethylene elastomers (C1) and styrene elastomers (C2), and 15 to 80 wt% of an inorganic filler (D) (the total of (A), (B), (C) and (D) is 100 wt%). The propylene resin composition contains the inorganic filler at a high proportion and shows excellent flexibility as well as high breaking elongation, low-temperature properties, whitening resistance, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, stress absorption properties and flame retardancy.